Pregnant? Jace cocked his head, convinced he’d heard her wrong. “But...”
“Sorry to blurt it out like that. I practiced a speech in the car—well, a bunch of them, really. Guess this is what I get for never settling on one.”
His gaze dropped to her stomach as if he expected to see evidence of the pregnancy, which was dumb. Women didn’t start showing until...well, he didn’t know. But not this soon. He’d have to ask Reed about stuff like that. About pregnancy and about being a fath—
“Oh, no.” Reed was just starting to come around, to view Jace as something more than a reckless screwup! Having a one-night stand and accidentally getting a woman pregnant? “This is terrible.”
“Hey!” Mia’s hazel eyes flashed with hurt.
“I did not mean that the way it sounded.” He pushed away the worry about his family. Mia deserved all his attention right now. “How are you feeling? Can I get you anything? You must have been stunned.”
“To learn that I was having a baby,” she said wryly, “or to learn that the father was one of the famous Malone brothers?”
She didn’t sound accusatory, just overwhelmed.
Jace had been so surprised to learn she was in the building, as if he’d somehow conjured her with his stubbornly persistent thoughts, that he’d been functioning on autopilot. Now he stopped to truly study her, noting the subtle changes he’d overlooked. Although she was as beautiful as he remembered, there were shadows beneath her formerly sparkling eyes. And she’d lost weight.
He remembered her kissing him by firelight. Smiling over her bare shoulder at him as she invited him to join her in the shower. She’d been bold and carefree. At the moment, she looked fragile.
Because of me. Guilt slammed into him. It was all of his brothers’ worst opinions of him—leaving someone else to shoulder the consequences of his actions while he was blithely unaffected.
“I will make this right,” he swore. “You are not alone. My family will clamor for a prenup, especially after Reed’s divorce, but—”
“What in the blue hell are you talking about?”
“Taking care of you and our baby.” Our baby. The words filled him with unexpected longing. All those years feeling like an outsider exiled to Texas, and now he had the chance not just to be a member of a family but to create one of his own. “I’m not going to abandon you.”
Her eyebrows shot up so far they were in a different zip code. “Jace, you can’t ‘abandon’ me because we were never in a relationship in the first place. I didn’t come here looking for a proposal. Why would I marry a man I don’t know anything about? Except that I slept with him under false pretenses.”
“But...” There’d been nothing “false” about the chemistry between them or the way she’d made him feel. He cleared his throat, trying to find the words to explain his impulsive reaction to her news. “I lost my parents a long time ago. They were killed in a car accident.”
“I read that,” she said softly. “And I’m sorry. I was so young when my mom died that I barely remember her, but there are still times when not having her in my life is a tangible ache. I can’t imagine how hard it was for you.”
He took her hand. Even that simple touch was like an electric current between them. “You’ve lost family, too, so you know it’s not something to take for granted.”
“Agreed.” She slowly slid her fingers from his, as if reluctant to lose the connection. “But I’d like to think that if Mom were here and could give me advice, she’d tell me it was a terrible idea to marry a stranger. I’m sure your brothers will tell you the same thing.”
“My brothers...” That was such a complicated subject that he didn’t know where to begin. He rolled the office chair back away from the table, then forward again, four-wheeled pacing.
“Oh, God.” Mia’s voice sounded hollow. “They’re going to think I’m some kind of gold digger, aren’t they? The woman with the struggling vet clinic who conveniently turns up pregnant.”
“Struggling?” He frowned. Everything he’d seen and heard on the ranch led him to believe she was skilled at what she did, and she was certainly good with people. It was difficult to imagine she wasn’t highly successful.
She waved her hand. “Not the point.”
“Right. No one can brand you a gold digger,” he assured her. “After all, you just turned down being engaged to a billionaire.”
“I did, didn’t I?” Her laugh had a slightly manic edge to it. “It’s so ludicrous out loud. No one knows billionaires in real life.”
Well. He knew several, but he doubted pointing that out would put her at ease.
“I don’t know how I’m going to explain this to my family,” she said.
They had that in common. “Telling my brothers...” How could he convey his trepidation without sounding as if he were ashamed of her or the baby? “Lord knows you don’t owe me any favors, Doc, but I have to ask one. Maybe I reacted rashly by bringing up marriage—”
“Maybe?” Her lips curved in a teasing smile, a real one this time.
He grinned back. “A debate for another day. But I do want to be involved with our child, and I want you to meet my family. The favor part is, can we hold off on sharing our news? Not that we did anything wrong or that it’s any of their business, frankly, but I’d like them to have the chance to know you without making it overly complicated. I hope that doesn’t sound—”
“No, I get it. My family will want to meet you, too, once they know. And it would be nice if we could make it past first impressions before my brothers try to beat you to a pulp.”
Well that was something to look forward to. “So, we’re on the same page? Casual introductions now, life-altering announcements later?”
“How casual were you thinking? Like arranging a coincidental run-in on the elevator down to the parking deck?” She frowned. “Do you even drive to work, or is there a limo?”
“And sit in traffic like peasants? We use the helipad on the roof.”
Her face went slack.
“Kidding! Mia, it was a joke.” There was, however, a small private jet the family used for field visits and occasional recreation. Perhaps he’d save mention of that for later. “Malone Energy is cosponsoring a gala to raise money for capping abandoned oil wells.” Helping with Colorado’s orphaned wells was one of the initiatives he’d convinced his brothers to let him pursue; it helped the state and was good PR. “Would you be my date?”
“To a gala your family is throwing?” She bit her bottom lip.
“Please, Doc. You’ve already turned me down once today.” He pressed a hand over his heart, his expression dramatic. “I don’t think I can take another rejection.”
Despite his playful cajoling, he felt surprisingly anxious as he waited for her answer. He really wanted this opportunity for his brothers and Grandpa Harry to meet the smart, beautiful woman carrying his child. And it would be gratifying to have Mia with him on a night that was important to him, to show her who he was beyond the ranch hand she’d believed him to be.
“Okay,” she said after a moment’s thought. “I’ll be your date.” She stumbled over the word, but smiled shyly. “And you can do the same for me, with my family. I mean, we don’t have any black-tie events coming up, but sometimes my friend Shari sends me with a fancy dessert to our monthly cookouts. You can come to one of those, and sometime down the road, I’ll just tell them things didn’t work out between us, that our lifestyles were too different.”
“Wow, we haven’t even had our first date, and you’ve already decided why we break up.” It was definitely for the best that he hadn’t mentioned the plane.
“At least it lets me tell them a version of the truth. I don’t like lying. I hate it,” she emphasized. “But you and I are from completely dissimilar backgrounds. They’ll understand that.”
Completely dissimilar? They were each the youngest child in a family of older brothers, and they’d both lost parents. They had more in common than Mia was admitting, but he could only imagine how disorienting it had been to learn his identity. The billionaire label was probably still a shock. Given time, though, could he coax her to see past it?
He hoped so.
Jace regretted rashly suggesting marriage. It was a decision that deserved consideration, and she deserved something far more romantic than a knee-jerk conference room proposal. Still, matrimony aside, why should they rule out a relationship? For weeks, he’d tried unsuccessfully not to think about her. He’d spent more than one night lying in bed, imagining her there with him. Now that she’d unexpectedly come back into his life, maybe he could persuade her to give them a chance.
Trying to carve out a place for himself in the family business took persistence, strategy and more diplomacy than he’d ever demonstrated before. Those traits might help him win over Mia. And if a romantic evening at a ball where people had good things to say about him gave him a home-field advantage...
Well, that wasn’t cheating; it was just playing smart.
“We’ll miss you so much,” Mrs. Patterson said, scooping her five-year-old Maine coon into a soft-sided cat carrier with one hand while holding the leashes of two small dogs in the other. “You and the staff are practically family to us.”
“We’ll miss you, too,” Mia said. In more ways than one. The Pattersons were some of Mia’s favorite clients, and their six pets were definitely a factor in the clinic’s quarterly budget. “But we wish you the best in Colorado Springs. If you need any vet recommendations for the area, I can ask around for you.”
“That would be great, thanks. I’ll be swamped getting started at the new job and making sure the paperwork’s done for the kids to start school in the fall.”
At the mention of kids, Mia’s hand went to her stomach. That was happening more and more, as if she could somehow check in with the baby growing inside her, even though it was too early to discern any movement. Feeling conspicuous, she dropped her hand to her side. She didn’t want to tell anyone at work until she was past the first trimester, but if she kept taking so many bathroom breaks, someone was bound to catch on.
Mia walked Mrs. Patterson out to the reception area, where Amanda approached with phone messages in hand. “Naomi says these are the most urgent ones you might want to return before lunch. Also, your 1:15 called to say she’s running late, and...” After a dramatic pause, the tech gestured to the side cabinets, where samples were stocked. “You got flowers! Aren’t they gorgeous?”
Mia did a double take at the pink-and-blue glass vase with its vivid profusion of violets, orchids and multicolor roses. “Was there a card?”
Amanda nodded. “Still in the vase.”
Sure enough, a small rectangle of paper was peeking up through the blooms, held in place by a painted clothespin on a wooden stick. The note was handwritten.
Thinking of you, Jace. P.S. The florist assured me these were all non-toxic to cats and dogs.
She smiled at that, charmed by his thoughtfulness.
“So,” Amanda prompted, “feel like telling me who sent them? Fletcher and I have been racking our brains.”
“A friend.”
“Huh. Wonder why none of my friends ever send me extravagant bouquets like that.”
Still smiling, Mia made her way to the back office and dialed Jace’s number. With the gala the day after tomorrow, she knew how busy he was and suspected she’d get his voice mail, but she still wanted—
“Did the flowers arrive?”
“Hello to you, too,” she teased. “They did, and they’re beautiful. But you didn’t have to do that.”
“Of course I didn’t. Floral arrangements are not necessity items. But I wanted to send something to show how much I’m looking forward to our date Friday. It was either the flowers or a bag of marshmallows.”
She chuckled at that, remembering the marshmallows she’d set on fire when he sat down next to her at the Climbing W, but the laugh faded as she also recalled kissing him moments later. The sweetness of it, the mutual eagerness that had led to a long, memorable night.
His voice lowered, as if he somehow knew what she was thinking. “Maybe I should have gone with the marshmallows. Next time, then.”
“No ‘next time.’ I’m already fielding curious questions from staff. Marshmallows would definitely lead to speculation.”
“I don’t know. I kind of like the thought of being your mystery man.”
He was joking around. There was no logical reason for the thrilling shivery sensation that went down her spine. But logic couldn’t change the effect he had on her.
“How are you feeling today?” he asked.
Again with the thoughtfulness. For the last couple of nights, he’d texted her to ask if her day had been all right and how she was feeling. It was considerate without being intrusive—but it left her thinking about him as she tried to fall asleep, with mixed results. Pregnancy was giving her some very vivid dreams.
“I’m okay. I get tired faster than normal, but the stuff I’ve read said that the second trimester will probably be better.”
“I hate that I can’t pick you up before the gala, but I’d like to send a car for you. That way, I can drive you home afterward.” He planned to be on-site in the hours leading up to the event to make sure everything went smoothly and to get the silent auction started.
“No need. I’ll drive myself.”
If he took her home, how would she resist inviting him in? Even though Friday might be a date in the most literal sense, sleeping with him again would be a bad idea. Her emotions were all over the map, which made her unusually vulnerable. Once their child was born, Mia’s life would forever be entangled with Jace’s. She should make practical short-term decisions so that they could all have a harmonious future.
“But you said yourself that you get fatigued faster than normal. Why risk driving home late from an unfamiliar venue?”
The genuine worry in his voice tugged at her heart. “I can take a car service both ways then. You may be fatigued yourself once the event is finally over.”
“Nah. I’ve got pretty good stamina.”
Don’t I know it. Erotic recollections of his endurance and thoroughness rolled through her memory.
Heat stung her cheeks, and she was relieved he couldn’t see her blush over the phone. “I, uh... My next appointment will be here in a minute. I should let you go.”
“Until Friday, then.”
“Friday,” she echoed. By then she might have her libido under control. Or at least have figured out how to lie to herself more convincingly.
The knock came promptly at six thirty, and Mia opened the front door to find a well-groomed middle-aged man in a blue suit.
“Dr. Zane?” he asked.
She nodded.
“I’m Liam. I work for the Malone family. Right this way, ma’am.” He led her to a luxury sedan with dark-tinted windows and opened the door for her. “There’s chilled water available. Please let me know if there’s any specific music you’d like to listen to or if you’d like me to adjust the temperature.”
Climbing into the car, she should have felt like a modern-day Cinderella. Your all-wheel-drive carriage awaits. But she did not feel like a fairy-tale princess. Was there a version of the story where Cindy gained ten pounds the week before the ball, and the mice broke two zippers and their collective spirit trying to get her into a dress?
She wasn’t technically showing yet, but even if her body wasn’t unmistakably pregnant to the casual observer, her figure was rapidly changing. For starters, her bra felt two sizes too tight. She’d nixed the first dress she planned to wear because the cleavage was strained to the breaking point; she’d had horrific images of a boob popping free and injuring an innocent bystander. She’d finally settled on a gown with billowy sleeves and an empire silhouette that helped camouflage her fuller stomach. The gold base and shimmering green overlay were both good colors for her, but she fretted that she might be underdressed for the occasion. Boho chic is a thing, right? She’d done the best she could with makeup and a curly updo that left tendrils around her face. She really wanted to make a good impression tonight.
She didn’t have much practice “meeting the family.” Drew had claimed his parents lived in the UK and that he’d take her to visit someday. For all she knew, that had been another lie. Maybe he was an orphan. Or maybe his parents were con artists from Hoboken. The point was, she’d skipped over the normal version and gone straight to a formal gala surrounded by rich strangers. Plus there was the added stress of being secretly pregnant and knowing Jace’s family could be in her life forever, so she’d better win them over while she had the chance.
“Liam? Could you, uh, boost the AC a little?”
“Of course.” He obligingly bumped the climate controls to near arctic temperatures, and she breathed a sigh of relief.
At least she wouldn’t have to worry about sweating her makeup off.
As the car wound up the mountain, the magnificent view began to eclipse her stress. The event tonight was being held at what Jace had jokingly called the area’s “most famous failure.” A millionaire in the 1940s had wanted to build the most impressive mansion Colorado had ever seen, complete with gold-leaf light fixtures, a castle facade and a formal courtyard. Unsurprisingly, he’d run out of money. The would-be palatial home was left unfinished and never lived in.
Eventually the property was purchased for commercial use and completed by investors in an appropriately lavish style. Mia had seen pictures of extravagant events held there and was pretty sure the exterior had been used in a movie or two. She’d never expected to get her very own engraved invitation to visit.
She spotted the lights twinkling through distant trees well before the stone-and-iron gate came into view. Maybe this was what Cinderella felt as her coach rolled up outside the royal ball—mild intimidation and the ardent hope that she didn’t embarrass herself. The spacious drive split into two lanes approaching the front of the castle, one for valet services and one for being dropped off. Kind of like the airport, but with designer evening gowns.
They waited for the two cars ahead of them to roll away, and then it was their turn. Liam walked around to open her car door. “I texted Mr. Malone that you’ve arrived. He’ll meet you just inside.”
Someone must have alerted the security guard at the front as well, because he cheerfully ushered her inside without checking her invite. The “foyer” was so dazzling it almost hurt her eyes—not just the gold-veined wallpaper or twin chandeliers that were bigger than her car, but also the jewel-bedecked guests. Cuff links and chokers and bracelets, oh my.
“Mia.”
She’d been so agog over her surroundings that she hadn’t noticed Jace approaching. But now she did a double take at the sight of him in a perfectly tailored tuxedo. “Damn.” How did the man get sexier every time she saw him? She’d done coursework on immunity; scientifically speaking, shouldn’t her pulse-pounding response to him fade with time and exposure?
“Back at you, Doc.” Jace twirled his finger in one of the curly strands framing her face. “You are a goddess tonight. I was sorry I couldn’t drive you myself, but maybe it was for the best.” He leaned close, his voice husky. “The way you look, we might not have left the house. For sure, your lipstick would have been smudged.”
It was far too easy to picture that happening, especially since she was already fighting the urge to kiss him hello. Her gaze dropped to his mouth, lingered there.
“Mia.” He growled her name, his tone hotly possessive. She wasn’t sure whether it was meant to be a warning or a promise.
Taking her hand, he bent down to brush a quick, civilized kiss across her knuckles. And then he turned her hand palm upward, scraping his teeth over the delicate flesh of her wrist. Need shuddered through her, accompanied by searing memories of how wickedly he could use his mouth.
“There you are,” a man interrupted. “Valencia is looking for you.”
Jace straightened, and Mia got a better look at the speaker. She recognized him from online pictures as Heath Malone. If Jace weren’t present, Heath would probably have been the best-looking man in the building. Despite slight differences in their builds and in the shades of their dark hair, the family resemblance was strong. She still had no idea if Heath had a dimple like Jace’s, though, because he wasn’t fully smiling in any of the photos she’d seen or in person.
“Thanks for letting me know. But while you’re here, there’s someone I want you to meet.” Jace drew his arm around Mia’s shoulders, gently pulling her closer. “This is Mia Zane. She owns a veterinary practice outside of Lakewood.”
Heath nodded cordially. “Nice to meet you.”
“Can you take Mia to our table while I find out what Val needs?”
“Certainly.” Heath extended an elbow toward her, and she took his arm, grateful for the help navigating the glittering throng.
“Jace must be pleased with the turnout,” she said. “This is...a lot of people.” Thank God tables were reserved. It would be daunting to go through the ballroom looking for an empty seat.
“You sound unnerved. Not a fan of crowds?”
“I’m more accustomed to herds of cattle than people.”
Heath made a soft noise that almost qualified as a chuckle. But then he sighed as he looked around the packed room. “I wonder how many of the esteemed guests are here because they care about the cause. Some just care about being seen.”
She was surprised by his cynicism. Wasn’t Malone Energy a major sponsor of the event? She rephrased his earlier question. “Not a fan of charity galas?”
“They’re inefficient.” He steered her toward a large round table at the front of the room, just left of the stage. “All the money spent on fashion and caterers and musicians. Wouldn’t it be better spent—”
“Oh, no.” Another male voice interjected, this one laced with humor. “Heath, what did I tell you about talking to the guests? You’ll scare them all away.”
Mia turned to find the third Malone brother. “You must be Reed.”
“If a beautiful woman says I must be, then who am I to argue?”
“Don’t flirt,” Heath reprimanded him. “This is Mia. She’s with Jace.”
“Ah. We’ve been curious to meet you.” Reed pulled out a chair for her.
They were both looking at her with such unabashed scrutiny that she squirmed in her seat. “Am I not what you were expecting?”
Heath shrugged. “We didn’t know what to expect. We haven’t met any women in his life since he’s been back, but when he told us this week he’d met a vet on a ranch, it just seemed so...remarkably down-to-earth.”
“A sign that he’s maturing.” Reed nodded approvingly. “I was skeptical he’d changed, but it makes sense now. He’s working to impress the beautiful doctor. You’re a good influence on him, Mia.”
She blinked, caught off guard by his leap in logic. “I don’t know about that.”
“Don’t be so modest.” Reed sat in the chair next to her. “It’s nice to see him buckling down at work, taking an interest in the community. Are you heavily involved in charitable foundations?”
“I do what I can,” she stammered. “Pet adoptions, donating time to animal shelters, assisting my friend Shari with her summer program to get food to kids. I’ve never done anything on a scale like this.” She gestured broadly around the ballroom. “Truly, you shouldn’t give me credit for Jace’s accomplishments. He’s self-motivated.”
The brothers exchanged a look, clearly unconvinced.
She found herself mildly exasperated at their underestimating Jace. Although it had been disorienting to see him shift from stubbled ranch hand to tuxedoed philanthropist, his work ethic had been evident on the ranch, too. He’d moved from one task to the next, displaying competent cheer with humans and horses alike. He’d worked at the stable until well after dark and left her bed at dawn to start another day. Did his siblings not know him at all?
“Maybe you’ve made more of an impact than you realize,” Reed suggested. “There was a time I wouldn’t have trusted him to be responsible for a hamster, but you should see him with my daughter...” He scrolled through his phone and held it up so she could see the photo. “Cute, right?”
Jace was beaming at an infant in a onesie and tiny denim jacket with the Triple Pine logo as she laughed in pure delight and reached for him with chubby hands. Mia sucked in her breath, a pang in her chest. That could be him and our daughter a year from now. Or our son. Mia knew he planned to be an active dad, but to see actual photographic evidence of the doting father he would be... Her eyes stung.
Oh, hell. The last thing she wanted was to cry in front of Jace’s brothers. My eye makeup!
“Please excuse me. Ladies’ room,” she mumbled. She scraped her chair back and popped to her feet, almost knocking over a statuesque brunette, the most gorgeous woman Mia had ever seen in real life.
“Whoa.” Jace reached out, steadying a mortified Mia with his hands on her hips.
“I am so sorry,” Mia told the other woman. “I wasn’t looking where I was going. Obviously.” It was pretty hard to miss a six-foot woman in a bright yellow strapless evening gown. And yet I managed. “Please forgive the blunt question, but are you by any chance a supermodel?”
The woman laughed. “Oh, I like her, Jace. Sorry to disappoint, but I’m afraid I’m a boring lawyer. Not as boring as Heath the accountant, of course...”
Jace snorted at that. “Mia, this is Valencia Blanco. Her family’s law firm has represented Malone Energy for decades, and she was my coconspirator on making tonight happen. We made a good team negotiating with vendors. If the situation required charming finesse, I called Valencia. And if the situation needed someone to stand tough—”
“He called me twice as fast.”
“Damn right.” Jace winked at Mia. “Anyway, I just wanted to introduce you two before we officially kick off this shindig. Have you met Grandpa Harry yet?” He glanced around in search of his grandfather.
Reed shook his head. “His blood pressure was a little high earlier. His aide thought he could use a moment of peace and quiet before dinner.”
The merriment in Jace’s gaze faded to a more somber expression. It was clear in that moment just how much his grandfather meant to him and how worried he was about Harry. Wishing there was something she could do or say to ease Jace’s concerns, Mia impulsively reached down to squeeze his hand.
He looked surprised for a split second, then squeezed back.
Valencia sighed in the direction of the stage. “I’m afraid we can’t stall forever. Time for the dreaded one-two punch of public speaking and asking for money.”
“Right behind you,” Jace told her. He turned to follow his partner but glanced back at Mia, mouthing thank you.
For the second time since she’d reached the table, her heart ached with bittersweet poignancy. When she’d arrived here tonight, she’d thought the biggest risk in spending time with Jace was their overpowering physical attraction. There were moments she wanted him with such reckless intensity that she almost didn’t recognize herself. But she was starting to realize how wrong she’d been.
The real risk was that whatever they shared between them was far more than physical.